Comet V2 Johnson headed towards Earth to be visible in Moscow

The comet is expected to approach the Earth on June 4

MOSCOW, June 2. /TASS/. Comet V2 Johnson, expected to approach the Earth on June 4, will be visible in northern latitudes, particularly in Moscow, through binoculars, the press service of the Moscow Planetarium said in a Friday statement.

"On June 4, 2017, Comet C/2015 V2 (also known as Comet V2 Johnson) will travel past the Earth at the distance of 121,325,600 kilometers," the statement reads. "The comet will not be visible to the naked eye but it would be possible to see it through binoculars and telescopes," the press service added.

During the first half of June, the comet will be visible in the constellation of Bootes not far from Arcturus, the brightest star in this constellation. It will be observable high above the horizon in the southern part of the sky at mid-latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere, provided the sky is clear and without a single cloud in it.

The comet will be at its brightest in early June, reaching a magnitude of plus seven. For comparison, the planet Neptune has a brightness magnitude of around plus 7.8, while the Big Dipper has the magnitude of plus two.

C/2015 V2 is a hyperbolic comet discovered on November 3, 2015, by Jess Johnson.